


Templars and Turks

by Wander Riordan (lferion)



Category: Kingdom of Heaven (2005), SCA RPF, Society for Creative Anachronism RPF
Genre: Bardic competition, Crusades, Fixed-form, Gen, Historical allusion, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-11-10
Updated: 2005-11-10
Packaged: 2017-10-10 14:14:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/100648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lferion/pseuds/Wander%20Riordan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The armies of Atenveldt fight as the crusaders of old.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Templars and Turks

O'er Smyrna, Cypress, Bethlehem  
   The Leper-King doth rule  
Where Richard fought the Saracen  
   In fair Jerusalem

O many valiant knights there fought  
   In Orders proud, their colors bright  
   Hospitallers in sable, white  
   In blue and gold the City's knights,  
And Templars: gules on argent wrought.

Here all the world is centered: brought  
   To Temple, Dome and Mount to bide  
   Where prophet, priest and pauper ride  
   no mule - O that would be Pride!  
But walk together, free, unfraught.

Damascus, Gaza, Galilee  
   Where Baldwin's reign holds true  
There Godfrey triumphed over Guy:  
   Lens and mirror of all e'en

Against Salah al'Din they sought  
   A victory for Christendom  
   The Holy places -- all and some --  
   That pilgrims worshipful might come  
In praise and honor as they ought.

Here Barons meet to plan with thought  
   And cry Crusade! with Treaty sealed.  
   The call goes out through plain and field  
   Of Mons Tonitrus, Ysgithr,  
To gather fell and fear ye nought.

O'er Rhodes and Acre, Ibelin,  
   The Leper King doth rule  
Where Roland strove, and Balian  
   The world's own diadem.

Now all the South here on one spot  
   With Sean and Charles at their head  
   Against King Aaron's armies dread  
   Will meet and strive on ground grown red  
With blood and iron -- battle's lot.

Boar and Mountain, great dreadnought,  
   With spear and shield will face the foe:  
   Great dukes and Barons wielding woe  
   On men from lands no mercies know,  
To hone the skills that strife has taught.

O'er Kerak, Malta, Joppa's lee  
   Where Baldwin's reign holds true  
Where Reynard died for cross and tree  
   The fountain of the free.

A greater war than this nigh draw't  
   Will weld these foes as brothers bound  
   When Stars and Moon and Hart shall hound  
   The Sun in Splendor; thus this ground  
Will test and temper, make all taut.

This no crusade for gold or aught  
   But like the noble knights of old  
   We yearn to march the holy road:  
   Jerusalem! --Estrella cold  
Will prove our mettle proudly hot.

O'er Smyrna, Cypress, Bethlehem,  
Damascus, Gaza, Galilee,  
Kerak, Malta, Joppa's lee  
O'er Rhodes and Acre, Ibelin  
   The Leper-king reigns true  
Where Richard fought the Saracen,  
And Godfrey triumphed over Guy  
Reynard died for cross and tree,  
Where Roland strove and Balian:  
   In fair Jerusalem.

Written 11 Nov 05 for the bardic competition at Southern Crusades VII, on site starting at 7pm with the competition beginning at 9pm. Won first prize. Performed in Court at the request of Baron Charles of the Barony-March of Mons Tonitrus.

**Author's Note:**

> Written 11 Nov 05 for the bardic competition at Southern Crusades VII, on site starting at 7pm with the competition beginning at 9pm. Won first prize. Performed in Court at the request of Baron Charles of the Barony-March of Mons Tonitrus in the Kingdom of Atenveldt.


End file.
